Enchantress - Theo Edition
by Zyii
Summary: Hermione had always been a powerful witch but what happens when the secrets of her past are finally unravelled? (Hermione/Theo)
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, I merely play in the sandbox.

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**Enchantress – Theo Edition**

I originally wrote and completed this in 2012 and posted it on . A newer edition was put up in 2014. That version is available on my wattpad account under the name Clinquant.

I have always been unhappy with the pairing I chose for this story. It was one of the last Dramione's I wrote before getting writers block that lasted six years! I do intend to rewrite the original into something that doesn't make me cringe but, in the meantime, I have written a slightly different version where the pairing will be Hermione/Theo.

With all the rewrites I've been doing of old work, I'm hoping it will spark my creative juices once more and that I'll be able to return to writing Harry Potter fiction in the future. If you stay for the story, I hope you enjoy it ~ Hannah

Updates will be every Monday.

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**Synopsis: **The Ancient Houses of the Wizarding World were known for many things, but their core purpose was something that was kept hidden from the outside world. They have been bound by an oath that is as old as Merlin himself. There are certain points in time when a supremely powerful Witch is born, born to the magic of Morgana. These Witches as seen as good omens and the light to banish the darkness. They come as a balancer in times of hardship or war, when the Wizarding World is struggling. Their powerful prowess is both feared and awed. There hasn't been an Enchantress in centuries, so when a new one appears, who will she chose and what will she do?

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**Chapter One – The Beginning**

**Sirius Black is Back!**

Witnesses this morning witnessed an explosion surrounding the veil of death – kept deep within the Ministry of Magic. Though the veil itself remained unharmed, the same cannot be said for the amount of rubble and smoke that littered the hall. The noise started early in the morning and began to increase in volume as the hours past. Unspeakables and Ministry Officials charged into the room after being alerted, poised and ready with wands to face the oncoming danger.

Eye witnesses state that as the explosion ended, and the smoke cleared, the image of a man staggering forward came into view. Officials raised their wands ready to attack as no one has ever returned from the veil before – though there have been many studies into the resurrection of those trapped within the veil. The staggering man seemed disorientated and also had his wand out as if to fight. As the smoke cleared, witnesses gasped at the man before them, while in return he gazed back confused and dazed.

Sirius Black, known for being falsely imprisoned and for escaping from Azkaban, was pushed into the veil six years earlier by Bellatrix Lestrange (nee Black), during the battle at the Ministry. It is said that his Godson Harry Potter mourned the loss of his Godfather greatly. Lord Black appeared unchanged from his time in the veil, appearing such as he was six years ago.

As no threat was presented, Lord Black was taken to St. Mungo's for testing and to be questioned by Ministry Officials. The question remains, how did he manage to escape the veil? Why was he the only one to return? And how will Harry Potter take the news of his return?

**A Great Golden Wedding**

As the wedding of Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley approaches, who will be lucky enough to find themselves invited to the wedding of the century. Miss Granger was seen in Diagon Alley last week looking quite dishevelled and tired, leading people to wonder if Mr Weasley had been keeping her up late at night! Will Sirius Black's return impact the wedding in any way?

For more information, turn to page 6.

o-0-o

The length and breath of the country were standing up and taking note of the was recorded in The Daily Prophet. For many people, Hermione Granger had always caused a stir wherever she was and whatever she was doing. There were many people that held Hermione Granger in higher regard than Harry Potter, for it was Hermione who had planned, organised and kept the Golden Boy safe in all the years he was being stalked by Voldemort.

There were five men in particular who had been watching Hermione and waiting for something to happen. Something only they understood as the calling they heard got ever closer. Their magic had never steered them wrong before but only time would tell if they were being pulled in the right direction.

Lord Malfoy looked up from his morning addition of The Daily Prophet, the news that Sirius Black was back was indeed interesting and it meant that the five Lords of old could finally meet for the first time since their grandparents were around.

Since the end of the war and Voldemort's demise, Lord Malfoy had had time to reevaluate his morals and beliefs. He'd joined Voldemort because he didn't believe in the growing number of muggleborns entering the Wizarding World who completely disregarded the traditions of old and were unwilling to learn about the Wizarding World and all that it stood for. The first war with Voldemort had been such a difficult time and Lord Malfoy had believed that joining forces would have kept his family safe. It didn't take him long to realise that he'd joined the wrong side but by then he was in too deep and couldn't get out.

Lord Malfoy had since struggled with the guilt and the pain of his past actions but he as least, had turned from the darkness and chosen the right path in the end. He had served his time, a minimum of three years in Azkaban and thanked his stars that Narcissa's actions during the Battle of Hogwarts and his sons own changing behaviour had reduced his sentencing. He had spent the next three years following his time in Azkaban re-establishing his name into something worthier of his family magic.

There were people still who would look down at his family or try to shun them but for the most part the past had been left forgotten. It had been decided after all, that it wasn't illegal to wear the dark mark because the majority of those marked had been branded without consent or by force. There was of course a strict testing scheme laid out by the Department of Mysteries where those marked had been told to come forward and be assessed (those who hadn't had a trial) where their magic was put through strenuous tests to determine whether they deserved to be branded and therefore deserved prison or whether the branding was unwelcome and had trapped them into acting in a way they hated. It was a complicated solution to finding out who was evil to the core, who was bad and needed punishment, who was grey and stood with a foot in each camp and who was as good as gold.

Still, it worked.

Every person who had carried the dark mark had been given a trial, whether the trial was before or after the Department of Mysteries test depended on how violent, crazy or calm the Wizard or Witch was. There were many more like Lord Malfoy who had paid their dues and were now making their way in the new Wizarding world while others were still in Azkaban or the newly erected prison that took much of its influence from high security muggle prisons.

There had, Lord Malfoy mused, been a lot of changes since the war and the Lord Malfoy of 1981 would have been scared shitless of them, confirming his fears that muggles had no respect. Older and wiser, Lord Malfoy could appreciate the changes that were now coming into the world but conceded that more effort needed to be taken to merge the two worlds together to positively affect everyone as well as strengthen the Statue of Secrecy.

Lord Malfoy mused that they had, as leaders of the five most Ancient and Noble houses, ignored the blood oath their ancestors had taken and the gifts the goddess had given them for too long. They had ignored the ways of Mother Earth and Lord Malfoy didn't know how long she would last unattended before she lashed out at those honour bound to protect and serve. Lord Malfoy vowed to wait a few days before addressing Lord Black formally with a written letter and a case of Ogden's finest. Hopefully Lord Black would have enough sense to read the letter with a clear and open mind and not jump straight in with accusations of a time long past.

Besides, they had much to discuss. The Granger-Weasley wedding was enough to cause Lord Malfoy to smirk in distain. An upstanding smart witch like Miss Granger would have little benefit in marrying the Weasley child. The youngest male had very little brain cells to rub together. It was true that he'd played a spectacular game of chess in their first year but his achievements after that were hardly worth mentioning. No, Miss Granger would gain nothing but an eternity of boredom from marrying the youngest Weasley boy. She should marry someone befitting her station as a war hero and someone to match the brightest witch of the age title. Lord Malfoy smirked, he was fully aware that had he had these thoughts seven or eight years ago he might have thought he was going mad!

He was bought out of his musings by an elf popping in to say that his guest had arrived. Moving from his comfortable armchair, he walked towards the greeting room with a mind full of possibilities and ventures.

Lord Theo Nott stood tall and regal as Lord Malfoy though all Lords should stand. Lord Nott was the darkness that complimented Lord Malfoy and they had been friends since school.

"Lord Nott," Lord Malfoy said formally.

"Lord Malfoy," replied Nott.

Formality out of the way, Lord Malfoy gestured to the chairs and Lord Nott sat, with Lord Malfoy following soon after.

"Do you feel the calling?"

"I do, it is getting stronger every day," replied Lord Malfoy.

"I feel as if we have been hoodwinked into not seeing who it is."

"Morgana's magic plays many games, if she has hoodwinked us it would not be without reason."

"I am surprised we still feel the calling, we have been neglecting in our oaths and our care. We do not deserve to carry the mantle now."

"Yet we have been given a second chance and I know I will do whatever Morgana's chosen asks of me."

"As will I."

"Do you have any idea of who the chosen one is?"

"I do, as I'm sure you do as well but only time will tell if we are both right. I suppose we shall have to call a meeting of the five Lords."

"As long as we stand united, all will be well."

"United we stand, together we fall."

"Until the end," said Lord Malfoy.

"Until the end," Lord Nott repeated.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter, I merely play in the sandbox.

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**Chapter Two – A Betrayal Most Painful**

Hermione thought she was going mad, passing shops that seemed to blur into one and Hermione never slowed once even though she had no destination in mind. She couldn't distinguish one colour from another, her brain seemed to have turned to mush and all styles of clothing became one. It was maddening and was making her head hurt. Two weeks till the wedding and he stress was becoming unbearable. Ron was no help and always made excuses that had him running off elsewhere. Recently Harry could only be found in one place, wherever Sirius was. It was a surprise to see Sirius who had picked her up and spun her around the first time he saw her. It was good to see Sirius and she was happy he had managed to return from the veil, even though she was curious about his methods.

Sirius had become a close confident of Hermione's from the moment she'd help recuse him in her third year to the battle in the Department of Mysteries in her fifth year. She'd almost been as sad as Harry when he had passed through the veil even though her brain argued that she shouldn't be.

She arrived home early, having given up on her quest to find something in Diagon Alley. She'd expected the house to be empty and not filled with the questionable sounds that set her teeth on edge. She wasn't in the mood for Ronald's antics and she just wanted to crawl into bed and sleep for she was beyond exhausted. The problem was, there was already someone in her bed when she arrived, two someone's and neither were female. Oblivious to their audience, the two men kept going, indulging each other with murmured words of love. It was hard to imagine what it would feel like to realise your fiancé preferred men to women, but Hermione didn't have to imagine what it would be like because she was seeing it with her own two eyes.

The hurt she was feeling was eclipsed by the betrayal of just who her fiancé was embracing with, none of the than the saviour of the Wizarding World himself, Harry Potter. Hermione felt sick to her stomach and felt her the familiar stirrings of her magic whirling in anger beneath her skin. She stepped away from the bedroom and marched herself down to the sitting room of the house. Looking around she saw everything they had made in their relationship and everything that had meant the world to her. She saw the home they'd created and the pictures of the three of them together though the years. Something in Hermione cracked and in a wave of powerful angry magic, she blasted apart everything in the house. Not a single thing avoided being shredded of blown apart as Hermione's magic sought out to destroy everything that this house represented. She was, she thought being quite lenient towards the two men upstairs.

"What the hell is happening?!" shouted Ron, charging into the sitting room with his wand drawn and Harry close to his heels.

Neither had bothered putting any other clothes on, standing in just boxers, Hermione felt another wave of betrayal stab through her. This was not a simple affair.

"Hermione…this is _not_ what it looks like!" said Ron, once the air had settled and he could see where she was.

Harry, Hermione saw, had the grace to look embarrassed but it was the action of moving closer to Ron that stabbed her the most. Never had she seen Harry bow to another's leadership and it was clear that Ron was leading this meeting.

"How long?" whispered Hermione. "How long has this betrayal been going on?"

Hermione had been specific in her words, had wanted the two men before her to realise the gravity of the situation and realise how close they stood to death at her wand.

"Ten years," whispered Harry.

Hermione spared neither a glance at either man. Waving her wand in a complex movement, any item she deemed valuable to too important to be shredded to pieces flew into her revered beaded bag she always carried with her and without a backwards glance she left the home she had thought would be with her forever.

Her head was in chaos, a whirlwind of emotions she couldn't distinguish. Her heart clenched painfully as she re-encountered all that had just happened. Ten years! Merlin, this had been going on since their fifth year of Hogwarts! Why hadn't they just said anything? Why hide it and involve her in the charade? There was no discrimination in the Wizarding World on what sex you decided to date. Even as she thought about finding them, she realised how stupid she'd been. How could she not have seen what was apparently happening right under her nose? How foolish had she been to be so oblivious. She felt worthless and used and angry that she felt the former. Everything about her five-year relationship with Ron was a blatant lie. Where the two men she left ever going to tell her the truth or would they have always lived with a secret?

Hermione felt herself get over emotional and berated herself for the tears that streamed down her face. She made quick work of getting to the destination she had in mind, knowing that the person she sought out would help her in her time of need. She burst into the room without proper grace or manners and startled a group of men she only partly knew. Lord Malfoy and Sirius stopped their conversation at her arrival, Lord Nott looked ready to run into battle and the remaining two gentlemen starred in open confusion and worry. She backed away startled at the full room, knowing that she looked a complete mess with her puffy red eyes and her hair cracking with the emotional magic she was projecting.

"I didn't know I would interrupt, I am sorry," she managed to say between the tears. She had thought to run from the room but didn't wish to be called out as a coward.

"Princess, what is wrong?" asked Sirius.

He'd always called Hermione Princess, from the moment he was rescued at the top of a Hogwarts tower to the moment he fell through the veil. Hermione had been weirded out with the pet name at first but had quickly come to enjoy it the closer her relationship with Sirius had become. He was a steadfast family figure in her life that she knew she could always turn to with a problem and not be turned away.

"I'm not getting married anymore," sobbed Hermione, the air around her cracking with her magic seeking vengeance.

Sirius growled lowly sending looks of confused curiosity to appear on the faces of those in the room.

"Why not Princess?"

"I caught Ron," she whispered, willing herself not to be judged in front of these men. "I caught his with Harry…they're together…romantically. Have been for years…ten years."

Had Hermione been able to see what was going on around her, she would have seen the varying looks of disgust, rage and sympathy but as it was, Hermione was crying too, much to see anything and it was taking all her strength to keep her magic contained.

The men of the room had been presented with an angry lion and would need their wits about them to calm her down.

o-0-o

Lucius's surprise had jumped from one level to another since the first meeting of the five Lords had started. He hadn't thought that Sirius would invite them so casually into his home but perhaps the Black before him had grown up during his time in the veil. As he sat before Lucius, he seemed to be a man who had learned from his mistakes and forgiven himself for what had happened. He was finally ready to take up the mantle of Lord Black and bring former glory back to the fallen house. Sirius had also felt the calling which Lucius assumed had speared him into action.

The arrival of an angry, tearful Miss Granger had halted all conversation in the room and Lucius wondered if the others could hear the singing of the calling in the back of their minds. Lucius found himself growling along with Sirius at Miss Granger's reasons for being in such a state and could feel the responses of the other Lords anger through the oath bond.

His magic had held him back when at last Sirius stood and lifted Hermione to him and had carried her back to the circle of men, letting her sit on his lap. Lucius's magic was appeased by Sirius's gentle nature with the woman, stroking her hair and holding her protectively in his embrace. Lucius watched as all the world's oceans seemed to pour from her eyes.

Lucius was rarely surprised but even he hadn't been able to mask his emotions in this particular situation. He thought back to the conversation he'd had with himself many nights ago and the conversation he'd just been having with his fellow Lords. The Weasley boy was foolish to treat Miss Granger thus and foolish boys would always pay for their mistakes. Lucius's opinion of Harry Potter had always been quite low, his one shining glory had been ridding the world of Voldemort and Lucius couldn't believe that he had acted in the way that he had. He firmly believed that the Sorting Hat had made a mistake when sorting both Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter in light of the relationship they'd been hiding for ten years.

It took a lot of time to calm Hermione down and to get her magic to recognise them as friendly and not threatening but soon the room was filled with the soft snores of Miss Granger who had been placed on a sofa within the room where all five men could see her.

Lucius silently departed soon after, sharing a look with Sirius that promised this meeting wouldn't fade without a written account. Lucius had been away from Severus for too long, his taciturn lover was probably hiding away in some corner of the library with a frown on his face. He knew Severus had missed Miss Granger's company as of late, as had he. Miss Granger had an incredible amount of love to give and was always willing to help those in need and give people a second chance in life. Lucius silently fumed that those two dunderheads had trampled over her precious heart like it was a stone beneath their feet. By the time he was home to Severus, there was so much anger in his being that he had no doubt on what would be tomorrow's Daily Prophet headline.

"What has happened? Did it not go the way you wanted?" asked Severus, jumping Lucius from his internal thoughts.

"I admit I had no agenda when meeting the four other Lords but rather something happened to put a spanner in the middle of our gathering."

"What spanner might that be?"

"Miss Granger interrupted our gathering when she arrived, dishevelled, hysterically crying and with a crackle of magic that was angrily lashing out."

"What happened? Is she alright? Why was she crying Lucius? Who has hurt her?" demanded Severus in quickly and clearly.

"Her wedding is apparently cancelled as she had just discovered her fiancé and Harry Potter in a romantic embrace and learned that the relationship between the two men has been going on for a decade."

For once in his life, Lucius noted, Severus seemed lost for words. Lucius watched as his lover turned from pale to red as he digested what Lucius had said. They were both very protective of Miss Granger and Lucius knew Severus felt he owed his life to her. The Wizarding World was not discriminating to same sex partnerships as the muggle world was. Most magicals batted for both teams. Severus had been Lucius's lover before Narcissa and had been lover to both Lucius and Narcissa during their marriage. Since Narcissa's death, both Lucius and Severus had been proudly open in their relationship.

Severus stood to take Lucius's hand in his own and led Lucius to their floo. Lucius let Severus take control of the situation because he recognised the glint in his eyes and knew that retribution would be achieved soon. Lucius knew where they were going and only hoped that the Wizarding World was prepared to receive what would soon be unleashed upon them.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter, I merely play in the sandbox.

**Chapter Three – The Secret Revealed**

Of the meeting that was interrupted only Sirius and Lord Nott, Theo, remained.

Sirius had not asked Theo to leave but had not asked why he stayed either. Sirius had watched Hermione sleep for a good long while before agreeing with himself that he could use a large glass of firewhiskey. Motioning for Theo to follow him, Sirius quietly called upon a newly acquired house elf to keep watch over Hermione while they retired to the kitchen. Theo took a seat at the table while Sirius poured the two of them a generous helping of whiskey.

They toasted and while Sirius drank he starred deeply into the roaring fire and pondered what had just happened. Thinking of Harry made him wonder what to do. Sirius was Harry's Godfather after all, but he also knew that his oath to Morgana came first. He didn't think he could bear to face his godson now and not want to curse him out. He'd already altered the wards to deny Ron Weasley entry as soon as he'd heard Hermione speak. If he could help it, he wouldn't let either of them hurt his Princess further.

"My magic won't let me leave. The calling is too strong, it's her isn't it? Miss Granger is the Enchantress we're bound too."

"I don't think there is any doubt of that. I have often wondered if Hermione was the one we were meant to align ourselves too. There was always a whisper of the calling when she was near."

"From what I hear from my son, she is quite the witch. You know, I think he fancies her. We shall have to keep our wits about her."

"She is the epitome of witches. The best to come to us in a long time. You and I both know we'll all stand together where she is concerned. I'm sure there will be a lot of wizards and witches vying for her attention once news gets out."

"That indeed."

Sirius and Theo drifted back into silence and it gave Sirius a chance to ponder what Lucius had been telling him earlier. If they did indeed work together, they could make the Wizarding World change for the better. This wasn't about individual goals but the combined oath to meet the goals of the Enchantress. The five of them had, after all, promised to protect any witch sent by Morgana's own hand.

"There were others in the veil with me," muttered Sirius.

The thud of Theo's glass hitting the table was enough confirmation for Sirius to know he was being listened to.

"All of us lost souls trapped together with nowhere to go. Some were judged by Death himself and never returned but I was stuck in limbo, knowing it wasn't my time to move on but not knowing when I would return. I met my brother there, Reggie. There was so much in life I didn't get to say to him and I honestly thought our meeting would be explosive, but it wasn't. Reggie was bitter about his past but had wanted to set the record straight with me."

"That must have been difficult Sirius. We all wondered what happened to Reg but then you'd been sent to Azkaban, Orion died not long after and Walburga hid herself in Grimmauld place."

"He told me how he'd rebelled against Voldemort and stolen one of his soul objects. He told me how he'd given it to Kreacher to destroy. It wasn't this act that sent him through the veil though. I always through Reggie was made to follow my Mother's rules but it seems there was more to him than I ever knew. He told me he'd fallen in love with a muggleborn witch. He told me that he loved her so completely that he'd have given her the world if she'd asked. He told me that taking the Dark Mark was the biggest mistake he ever made for it made her run from him. Reggie has asked me to find her, to find out what happened to his true love. He told me her name was Emma Knight. "

"Emma Knight…well the first name might be common, but the surname isn't as. It might take a while to narrow down the sources, but I reckon we could put a plan in motion to help find her."

"Thank you, Theo, your help means a lot."

"The five of us have to work together as much for ourselves as for our Enchantress. This isn't a burden you need carry alone Sirius."

o-0-o

Hermione woke in the morning to the unmistakable sound of happy birds singing, it was a complete contrast to how she was feeling and most unwelcome. Her eyes were sore from all the crying she'd done yesterday, and she could feel a strong headache coming on. Someone had thoughtfully put a pepper up potion on her bedside table. It had Severus's mark on it, so he must have been here while she was asleep.

Hermione padded her way down to the kitchen and found Sirius reading The Daily Prophet at the table with a sneer across his face. Sirius was such a happy man usually that it was quite odd to see such an expression cross his face, it made Hermione remember that he was a Black after all.

Sirius's behaviour reminded her of a deer caught in the headlights and Hermione came to the quick conclusion that there was something less than savoury in The Daily Prophet that he'd rather she not see. Of course, Hermione wasn't one to shy away from the truth, even if it would hurt her now it would be better in the long run. Hermione was still completely mortified about her behaviour yesterday and the gentlemen's meeting she had interrupted.

It had been a shock for her to see for Slytherin's talking politely with a Gryffindor, but she supposed that stranger things had happened. Sirius, she noted, had changed since his return from the veil. He was still very much a child at heart, but he had also grown up a lot. He'd taken control of his house, reclaimed his seat in the Wizengamot and was starting to make a better name of the House of Black.

"You shouldn't read it Hermione."

Hermione allowed herself a moment to smile at Sirius, his concern was very touching, and it gave her pause to reevaluate their growing friendship. By all accounts, Hermione was a very lucky witch to have so many powerful men by her side. She was very grateful for their friendships, especially in the light of what had just occurred.

"I appreciate your concern Sirius, but I will not hide away from the pain. Better to read it now while I am here with you than I read it alone and isolated."

"I just don't want you to hurt anymore."

"I know Sirius, but life is not plain sailing, it isn't without hurt, pain, betrayal, anger or sadness. I'm strong Sirius, I can handle reading the article."

Hermione came to sit next to Sirius, thanking the elf who put a bowl of granola and fresh fruit in front of her. Sirius wrapped his arm around her and Hermione snuggled into his side as she dragged The Daily Prophet over and began to read the front-page article.

**Shocking Scandal Destroys the Golden Trio as Granger-Weasley Wedding is cancelled!**

The eagerly anticipated wedding of Miss Hermione Granger and Mr Ronald Weasley has been officially cancelled. Those of you who read last week's article know that Miss Granger was seen out and about looking stressed and haggard from the wedding preparations. Well, sources close to Miss Granger have confirmed that Miss Granger arrived home early last night and found her former fiancé in bed with none other than Mr Harry Potter himself! It seems that these two men have been in a romantic relationship for many years but kept it a secret and resorted to using Miss Granger as a cover.

This reporter is shocked by the betrayal the two Wizards played on Miss Granger and hopes that they soon realize what a tragic mistake they've made, both to Miss Granger and the Wizarding World. I've been told that Miss Granger's anger was so great that she blasted apart everything in the house she shared with her former fiancé. No news on how the Weasley family has taken their son's deceit but Mr Potter has been banned from his Godfather's house and many friends have already begun to shun the two Wizards – a remarkable feet considering the secret came to light not even 48 hours ago!

Never fear dear readers, Miss Granger is in safe hands – as I was told by Lord Malfoy and Lord Prince who visited me this morning. Miss Granger is currently staying with Lord Black and neither of these men will let any harm befall Miss Granger. Those rejoicing of Miss Granger's new single status – remember who guards her and beware…remember she's wicked quick with a wand and not afraid to use it. Proceed with caution!

o-0-o

"It's not as bad as it could be Sirius. I trust the source of the article came from Lucius and Severus, I know they aren't ones to let injustices slide."

"You're sure you are ok? Yes, Severus dragged Lucius to the Prophet late last night. From what Lucius has told me, Severus was beyond mad, demanding retribution for what has happened to you. We all know the Prophet has been less than kind to you in the past and were eager that you be given a foot to stand on this time."

"I appreciate that they handled this for me. I admit I was thinking how lucky I was to have the three of you. I can only imagine how I would have been feeling had I been isolated when I found out what had been happening. I don't think I would have been looked upon so kindly either."

"You never have to worry about being alone. The Ancient Houses take relationships very seriously no matter the type. It would be a slight to our Houses is we did not take up arms in your defence. We'd do it anyway, but our magic also demands it."

"I'll admit that makes me a little weary, but I know little of family magics. I wish there had been a class on it in school, I always feel like for everything I learn about the magical world that there's another ten things I don't know."

"Neither Lucius, Severus or I would mind if you picked our brains about the matter."

"I guess I just haven't wanted to be a burden to any of you. As tight as our relationships are, there is still a small part of me that fears I'll wake up one day and it'll have all been a dream."

"That will never happen. You will always have our friendships. We're bonded in a unique way. Our magics have combined."

"Yes, I've felt that too. Not sure what it means though."

"Magic is difficult and bonds even more so. It's not really something you can research or anticipate. It's something that reveals itself over time."

"I know but that's what makes it so frustrating for me. I'm used to researching and anticipating everything and to be left so adrift worries me."

"Brightest witch of the age? Worried about not gaining knowledge? Gasp."

"Sirius!"

Hermione giggled as Sirius's sarcasm, appreciating that it had knocked her out of her worriment. The sense of betrayal, pain and anger were still warring with each other just below the surface of her skin but in this moment, she could put them aside and indulge in a bit of laughter.

o-0-o

He grumbled as he lay down his own Daily Prophet, a twitch in his neck pulsing with the anger that now consumed him. He'd read the front-page article and felt a surge of relief followed by a surge or anger and guilt. If Hermione had been his girlfriend, she would have wanted for nothing. The crush he had on her had formed in their early teens and only grown with time.

They now worked together at the Ministry and he'd grown to love the banter their friendship held. He'd always been jealous that Weasley had got her first and that she hadn't accepted his pursuit of her in school – not that he'd actually had the courage to ask her. He'd always be her friend first and foremost, that was the promise he made himself. She was one of the only people he could trust explicitly, and she'd never once judged him on his mistakes from the war. Yes, if he could be brave enough, he'd try his luck and win her heart.


End file.
